The major takeaway from Monday’s practice is that the Blackhawks will not play Philipp Kurashev tonight following a “rough game” against the Sabres on Saturday. Harman Dayal at The Athletic recently analyzed five players, including Kurashev, who have unexpectedly taken on significant roles in the NHL. Kurashev, serving as the Blackhawks’ second line center, started the season strong but has seen his performance decline. His line has managed only one goal over six games while allowing three against. Although Kurashev isn’t completely out of sync—often finding himself in the right places and appearing comfortable in his role—his impact has not been enough to positively influence the team’s performance.
Dayal points out that Kurashev is expected to be a healthy scratch tonight, but he argues that this might be overly severe. Kurashev has contributed positively to play-driving statistics, as the Blackhawks have had a slight advantage in shots and expected goals during his five-on-five play this season. The team’s shooting luck has been abysmally low, scoring on less than 3 percent of their shots, suggesting that better outcomes are likely for Kurashev.
There’s been renewed debate about Luke Richardson’s management of the team’s roster and lineup. Last season, fans criticized his ice time decisions given the limited options, but this year, as he has more depth, there are complaints regarding ice time allocations. With Kurashev sitting out, discussions on whether Richardson is the right coach have resurfaced. I believe accountability is vital, and it’s beneficial for Richardson to sit Kurashev to instill that no position is guaranteed, rather than let harmful habits linger.
Regarding Lukas Reichel, I haven’t seen enough consistency to suggest that the coaching staff is mishandling his development. He has yet to prove he deserves more ice time, especially with a growing line of prospects with potentially higher ceilings behind him. If he performs well enough to earn a spot on the second line, I will certainly support him, but the results must come first, which I suspect the coaches feel as well.
On the topic of Richardson’s coaching, notable veteran Nick Foligno convinced multiple free agents to sign with the Blackhawks despite other options, indicating that the team believes in his direction. While there will be ongoing scrutiny from fans, their confidence in Richardson matters.
If Kurashev is to take a night off, I think it’s reasonable for Isaak Phillips to replace TJ Brodie, who has struggled early in his Blackhawks career. While we didn’t anticipate a playoff run this season, we hoped for a more competitive team, and the Blackhawks have surprisingly exceeded those expectations so far, showing promise in some advanced analytics shared by Ben Pope.
We are currently in Week 8 of the NFL season and Laurent Brossoit’s estimated recovery timeline from his knee injury. He practiced on Monday with Artyom Levshunov and is reportedly still on track with his recovery. In other news, the NHL and lululemon have launched a new Blackhawks apparel line featuring Connor Bedard, which should appeal to fans as the seasons change.
The Nashville Predators, still seeking their first win (0-5-0), recalled Zachary L’Heureux on Monday. L’Heureux is known for dirty plays and has faced numerous suspensions, including for a cheap shot on Colton Dach last season. In unfortunate news, Sharks’ No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini will be sidelined for at least two weeks due to a hip issue, meaning he will miss another matchup with the Blackhawks on Halloween. This is disappointing as many looked forward to his matchup against Bedard early in the season.
